Crotalaria deserticola Taub. ex Baker f.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Annual or short-lived perennial, generally erect, laxly branched, up to 7–15 dm. tall, but under adverse conditions sometimes low and diffuse.

Morphology Stem

Stem obscurely ribbed, thinly appressed puberulous, glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets variable, linear to oblanceolate or elliptic, up to 20–75 mm. long, 2–28 mm. wide, glabrous above, thinly appressed puberulous beneath; petiole up to 12–35 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules subulate-caudate to linear-lanceolate, up to 1–4 mm. long, mostly rather persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes lax, up to 10–30 cm. long, usually many-flowered; bracts filiform to linear-lanceolate, 1–3 mm. long; bracteoles inserted on the pedicel, very small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3–7 mm. long, protracted on the lower side, glabrous to appressed pubescent; upper lobes narrowly triangular, longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard broadly elliptic, obovate or suborbicular, yellow, usually veined reddish-brown, glabrous to medially puberulous outside; wings nearly as long as the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower half, with a long narrow twisted beak, 6–18 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod oblong-clavate, narrowed basally into the 3–9 mm. long stipe, (15–)20–40 mm. long, 4–11 mm. across, appressed puberulous, ± 16–30-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 2 mm. long, usually smooth, rarely slightly rugulose, yellowish to brown.

Leguminosae, various authors. Flora Zambesiaca 3:7. 2003

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual, usually 0.5–1.5 m tall; branches thinly appressed puberulous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets variable, mostly 2–7.5 × 0.2–3 cm, linear to oblanceolate or elliptic, thinly appressed puberulous beneath; petiole 1–4(5) cm long; stipules 0.5–4 mm long, subulate-caudate to linear-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes laxly 8–24-flowered; bracts 1–3 mm long, linear to linear-lanceolate; bracteoles on the pedicel, setaceous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3–7 mm long, glabrous to thinly pubescent; upper lobes narrowly triangular, longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard broadly elliptic to subcircular, yellow usually veined reddish-brown, glabrous to medially puberulous outside; wings nearly as long as the keel; keel 8–11 mm long in the Flora Zambesiaca area (6–18 mm elsewhere), bent at right angles in the lower half, with a long narrow twisted beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod (1.5)2–3(4) × 0.4–0.7(1.1) cm, oblong-clavate, narrowed into the 3–5(9) mm long stipe, appressed puberulous, c. 16–30-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 2 mm long, smooth to slightly rugulose, yellowish to brown.